As the beats from the music and the screams from the party drifted into a somber clubhouse Tuesday night, Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright gave an exasperated half-smile when asked about the team that had caused all the joy outside.

For the previous four seasons, the Cardinals were the team from this rivalry celebrating their victories in the National League Division Series, and a young, vibrant Cubs team halted that streak Tuesday night with a 6-4 victory at Wrigley Field.

Wainwright wasn't exactly ready to anoint the Cubs the new NL Central Joneses, even if the Cardinals will be the ones watching them on TV in the postseason for a change.

"Yeah, well they're certainly a talented team, but does anybody think (rookie outfielder/first baseman) Stephen Piscotty and these guys are old?" Wainwright said. "We're not going anywhere. We're not keeping up with anybody. We have a bunch of young fellows ourselves … that are just getting started. These guys are as young as their guys are. They have a great team, though, for sure."

Wainwright and Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said they had no regrets this season. But despite several injuries, including Wainwright's torn Achilles tendon and a thumb injury that kept seven-time All-Star catcher Yadier Molina out of the lineup Tuesday, bowing out in the NLDS could only be classified as a failure for a team that finished the regular season with a 100-62 record, best in baseball.

"We didn't set our sights in spring training on getting to the postseason just to go home in the first round," Wainwright said. "It's painful when you lose for sure, but I can't get away from all the things we overcame this year to even get here. Losing is losing, so it's never easy."

Wainwright did his part with two scoreless innings, but the Cubs sandwiched six runs around that appearance. John Lackey, who pitched 71/3 scoreless innings in Game 1, came back on three days' rest to give up four earned runs over three innings, the shortest postseason start of his career. Reliever Kevin Siegrist gave up two homers.

Lackey said he obviously regretted the pitch to Javier Baez that resulted in a three-run homer in the second inning and the crowd taunting him by chanting his name. Lackey had previously made 12 straight postseason appearances without allowing a homer.

"If I had that one pitch to go back, I would definitely do something different," Lackey said. "A pitch kind of out on the plate to a hacker, and he ran into it."

Cardinals players packed their bags and gave each other hugs in the clubhouse as Cubs players soaked the field and dugout with champagne. The Cardinals didn't necessarily foresee such a moment, but they could tell the Cubs were building momentum at the end of the regular season, when the North Siders won of four of the six final games in the rivalry.

"They've been playing with a lot of confidence, and obviously they finished the season that way," Matheny said. "There are a lot of things going in a good direction for that team. You've got a lot of talent, no question. You had some pitching that stepped up tremendously, and everybody kind of finding their role and some of the younger guys kind of taking those big roles. You could see that this team was going in the right direction and feeling good about themselves heading into the playoffs."